The Philadelphia Phillies made a surprising offseason move by trading for Miami Marlins pitcher Jesús Luzardo, despite already having one of the strongest starting rotations in baseball.
This addition further bolstered their pitching depth and has helped define the team’s early-season identity. With All-Star starter Ranger Suárez returning from the injured list and making his season debut on Sunday, the Phillies faced a decision: demote a current starter to the bullpen or try a six-man rotation. They chose to move veteran Taijuan Walker to relief duty. Now, he might even emerge as a closer.
Following the offseason departures of Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in free agency, the Phillies have struggled to find a reliable ninth-inning option, as reflected by their bullpen’s high ERA of 4.71. Walker’s first game in his new role showed he could be used in pressure situations—he began warming up before the 10th inning of Sunday’s extra-inning loss to the Diamondbacks.
As Matt Gelb of The Athletic noted, manager Rob Thomson’s willingness to call on Walker in an emergency underscores his flexible approach. Walker, now in the third year of his four-year, $72 million deal, is working to regain his velocity after a rough 2024, which could be crucial in shoring up the bullpen.